The six were arrested just after 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, but weren't believed to be a part of an anti-Olympics bid rally that took place in front of City Hall earlier that day, police said.

After gathering in the Daley Center, the six pulled down a banner -- valued at thousands of dollars -- from the statue and burned part of it in the flame dedicated to veterans, Chicago Police Lt. Charles Flynn said.

The alleged vandals then got into a confrontation with police officers, who took all six into custody.